Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-08-01
.fAD 1ARfR ~ ~ Ar
ksssons 0iveu BY Rev. johnson. Cosoeed
Man, who Decissss 10 % Not Round.
what Ne Knows About EsrthqunAes.

Wsas Ne Knows About Esrthqusass
From the Fittsburg Dispatch.
Tho Rev. &. A. johnson, Q colored clergy.
man from Hamilton, Ont, and who an
nounces himself ~ the we'll known profes.
eioual astronomical lecturer, philsnt hropiss,
literary and educational writer, editor, pub.
Usher and proprietor OF the British Lion aud
American Eu9ie, delivered scientific lecture
in the Green street hall, Allegheny, last
evening. Mr. Johnsons audience was not
very numerous, but the d'sting uished
gentleman We, not In the least discouraged
BY this !. * Of number lie rema-kei in .
small things ami that II the I cpie Allie
gheny were kept away by the intense hea.,
the loss vi the'e own and not hi He felt
sorry for them, but would give his opinion
on Earthquake" /" their causts and effects,
with the tsme JUNCTION he would II the hall
Was packed.
Mr.. johnson, who lectured in PittsburR
about one yesr ago and created . small panic
among the colored ,opie by t,s propht ,ies
OF the seismic COMMISSIONS which were shortly
TO e,cur, briefly f'luded .of'' former sisit
aud disclatme any In 'ntion OF exciting the
fears OF the peop.e He left his Canadian
home, however, 10 instruct the tH ople OF the
United S'1..s upon the subject Of earth.
quake bec ause the rs were no scientists In this
country who understood the question.
AZ for hims ,lf he was thoroughly familiar
With earthquakes end all n amer of terres.
Iloi Anu ut lcnly COnNuistCDs IL Way out
few weeks 20 tha' on y ount Of his scien.
titic attainments he ives b -. ed as no nian
of his race b sd ever been hol u ed in Canada
before. He alluded - an iuvi i on he Rad
ye,eived from the leading msmb ors Of the
Dominion Parl." nent to apps ar before 1t ct
U. .ws and expl lin ne suos:, ace Of which
mind was comp osed. H.s discoui se upon
mind WI re, lived with such me-kC 4 favor
that II Was seriously prop ed to C,k the
queen to confer upon HIN ome signal mark
rf Nd hn haA h,NS % ks ~.
would in time receive decor alton or honor.
aS MI ,ius: Gs,n,o,. ,ovsv., had oou. ~ p,,,,-
burg to explain the ciuses Of earthquakes
cenceA and he wished the people to mark his
predictions. In few weeks ut most Pitts.
burg would be shaken by an elrth quake to
which the one that wrought such havoc at
Charleston would compare only ss an sgue
attack to simeon. lie was con tident of the
coming destruction because he had thor.
oughly studied the quc ,tion in all it's bear.
ings. This earthquake, ~ nee- ~ he could
definitely fix i's visit, would sha,ter Pitts.
burg not later than the last week in August.
1t would be merely the forerunner Of o ier
shocks which would sweep over the whole
United States before many years aud totally
destroy the country.
"No event. remarked the talented gen.
| tlemsp, lever hsppeLed without cause and
| earthquakes are merely links in the chain OF
/ scientific thought The material which
causes them Is not gathered together q me- ny
l suppose IN Q moment but has always been
in existence The heat force OF the earth
| keeps moving around In the bowels of the
| old planet until 1t collects in such large
| quantities at some given centre It cannot
longer circulate Then the electric current
sets in and the result 10 an earth quake. Al
present this great wandering body of heat ID
directly under Pittsburg, and It is but q
/ question of Q few weeks at most until the
electric current causes 1t to xplode.
"Now," added Mr.. johnson, es he noted
| the look of horror which crept over the
faces OF his auditors, have given you
timely warning and told you just what
| causes earth quakes. l want you to under
stand there II no escape from its coming, for
It has to act in obedience to natural laws
| Remember that am Q scientist whose equal
doesn't exist in this county,"
Mr.. johnson further declared that he WAS
ply sically a. brave as other men, but that
he would not 20 into the South because he
the destruction OF Pittsburg the ire and
| electrical currents would make an excursion
/ southwark in company, scattering Wholesale
destruction throughout that region.
The htst indications OF the coming earth.
l quake will be people growing giddy and
dropping in the strt cts, while the rivers will
| turn black, the water refuse tO flow and re-
main stationary. These little diversions will
be followed by an avalanche of falling stars.
The sun will not rise and the city be envel
oped in Stygian darkness until the psnt-uI
elements burst their bonds A huge volcano
will burst from the side OF the mountains
and for days no living thing can exist In
Pittsburg. After . while, however, the
met geological fire and sulphurous gas Inn
! pric coned beneath the Thin crust Of earth will
exhaust itself and . more pleasant state OF st.
fairS gradually return. TIE city, however,
by that time will have been totally destroyed
together with every thing in 1t, while the vol.
| cano will continue to spurt forth tire and
| smoke for one year.
"Now l don't want to discourage you cap.
| italis''," incidentally remarked the lecturer
ural gas supply 10 nearly gone, while the
entire area OF Pennsylvania has sunk Is
| inches in years by the drain made upon
her When the convulsion comes in August
there will be patch OF earth As large a. q
whole county flung clear up against the sky
while the excavation thus made will be filled
with black water"
Mr.. JohnEon, having explained the cause
OF earthquakes to his own satisfaction and
that of his audience, then rsmsr led that
people generally were very ignorant "Now,"
he said, 'you have no doubt all been tau z ht
to believe the earth is round and that light.
ming kills people. These are the worst kind
OF fallscies.
"The earth is fs,," he argued, "and can
prove it TO you by the Bible. Does not that
good book say that when the Savior comes
every eye shall see Him. How Ia q man on
the other side OF q round world going to see q
person ON tn0 opposite side It's ridiculous" P"
he concluded with emphasiA
GAS for lightning killing Q man that Ia q
serious mistake scientific men have made for
yesre. It's thunder that does the work. II
you fire gun at man the flash and smoke
don't hurt him. No it's the bullet Thst q
the way 1t IL With thunder and lightning.
The latter gets the blame, but its the thunder
that does the damage"
Mr.. John Adams acted a. moderator, and
ct the conclusion Of the lecture gently hinted
that small collection might bs taken up as
Mr.. johnson had ssid he didn't despise
small thingA The Canadian sci enlist, how
ever, refused to become the beneficiary OF
his auditors liberslity.
Mr. Adams then invited him 10 repeat the
lecture some night next week, but he replied
that he made It Q rule never to deliver but
one lecture each year, and that he wanted to
get home to Canada before the trouble began.
He thanked the president for his kindness,
but WAS not dianOaad IN linOor around the